


Todd

by sadlittlepeachesandplums



Category: The Magicians (TV)
Genre: Gen, eliot needs to finally accept him into the group, look you're going to have todd feels with me, todd deserves love okay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-22
Updated: 2018-02-22
Packaged: 2019-03-22 11:49:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13763517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sadlittlepeachesandplums/pseuds/sadlittlepeachesandplums
Summary: Todd’s always been an outcast. As far back as he can remember, he’s had to fight to be a part of any sort of social group. He’s always been too enthusiastic, too permeable. Too willing to flex until he’s the guy people want to be around. Or, as his step dad likes to say—He’s always been too much. It’s not like he means to be. It’s just, he wants so badly to be a part of something, that he’ll say or do whatever he needs to. He’ll be the guy people need him to be, even if it kills him.





	Todd

Todd’s always been an outcast. As far back as he can remember, he’s had to fight to be a part of any sort of social group. He’s always been too enthusiastic, too permeable. Too willing to flex until he’s the guy people want to be around. Or, as his step dad likes to say—He’s always been  _too much_. It’s not like he means to be. It’s just, he wants so badly to be a part of something, that he’ll say or do whatever he needs to. He’ll be the guy people need him to be, even if it kills him.

And there are a few times where it does almost kill him. Not literally, not really. Just … it’s hard. Playing a part. Being That Guy for everyone. Sometimes he wonders if he even knows who he really is, anymore. But then his step dad walks into the room, levels him with a steely gaze, and a remark about how Todd’s just shy of being decent at something, and he’s hard to forget.

Todd’s nobody.

He wishes he could be That Guy for his family. For his mom, and yeah, for his step dad. But no matter how hard he tries, no matter how perfect he is at anything, or how many friends he has—he’s never been enough for him. He’s never been, and at this point doubts he’ll ever be, That Guy.

Which is why when he appears in a classroom in the middle of the day to take a really weird, magical test that’ll take him away from his family for at least three years, he fucking jumps on it. He takes that test, and at least for some weird questions about magical capability—he can be That Guy. And he is. Because he passes. With the second highest grade in Brakebills history—second only to someone named Eliot Waugh. And Brakebills seems to be the thing he’s needed his whole life.

Where his inability to tone himself down, and his hyperactivity, and all consuming positivity are suprisingly welcome. Where people seek him out, wanting to be his friend. Where he’s somehow smarter than some people, and tutoring them, while also being the cool new kid.

It’s insane.

And then he moves in the physical kids cottage. And there are so many new faces, so many cool people.

Including to one Eliot Waugh, and his friends.

And Todd’s not sure what it is, but, god does he want to be a part of their social group. He wants to be their friend.

And they mock him, and cast prank spells on him, and overall push him away. They probably expect him to get a clue. But Todd’s never not been optimistic. He’s never seen a challenge he wasn’t willing to go at head on. Case in point, the spell he’d cast his first week at Brakebills to send letters back home, addressed to his step dad, about how successful he is at his new school. So, that’s probably more sad than optimistic, but he’s running on fumes with his family.

But with Eliot and his friends? Oh, man, is he just getting started.

And apparently his optimism and go get ‘em attitude is enough for Margo. Because Eliot backs out of the ibiza trip, and she invites Todd along. And it’s not a prank. She even helps him get laid! And by the end of the trip, she’s nicer to him. She still tosses jabs at him, rolls her eyes and pranks him—but there’s no malice behind any of it anymore. It’s almost like this is how she shows affection. To anyone that isn’t Eliot, that is.

Eliot is much less welcoming. Much less warm. His retorts are always icey and a little cruel. 

And there’s something vaguely familiar about it that Todd can’t quite place.

But then they all disappear.

Just, poof. No more Eliot and Co.

And suddenly, Todd’s the most popular person in the physical kids cottage. And all he can think to do is keep Eliot’s tradition alive. He can only imagine how furious Eliot would be, if and when, they all returned, and his fellow housemates weren’t properly partied out. He goes off campus to learn how to make the perfect cocktail. Then he spends weeks in the campus library, learning spells to make the cocktails even better.

He works harder on perfecting his pseudo Eliot parties than he’s ever worked on anything in his  _life_. 

And he thinks he’s done a damn good job of it. Until Eliot and Margo and the rest of them appear with the news that hey, they aren’t dead. And Eliot see’s Todd wearing the crown a random kid put on his head, and levels him with a glare that could only compete with those his step father gives. 

And it goes on like that. Todd trying to be a part of the group. Offering help, whenever they appear. He helps each of them, at least once. Uses every resource he has. Smiles and plays along. Pretends he doesnt know they don’t want him there.

Because optimism is his strength. But so is persistence.

And he thinks its working. Because he’s standing in New York with Eliot’s wife and daughter–which is still confusing, because his daughter his definitely only  a couple years younger than them. And she seems to see him in the same way Todd see’s his step dad.

Maybe that’s what makes it click. Her distrust and distaste for Eliot.

Eliot’s a lot like his step dad.

Doesn’t care for him, would rather he weren’t around, makes thinly veiled jabs. 

As they head back to the cottage, he wonders if that’s why he wants to be accepted so badly. If being accepted by Eliot would somehow change the fact that his step dad hates him. Thinks that maybe, because he’d taken such good care of his wife and child, Eliot would say something his step dad’s never said. Like, “thank you” or, “I’m proud of you, son.”

Okay, that last one is definitely just Todd deflecting. But he’s been around Eliot’s family all day, so it’s hard not to feel like the … well. The unwanted step child.

But he grins through it. And he takes them back. And Eliot’s there, and he’s not kind, but he’s not cruel. It almost seems like he’s warming up to Todd. Which, point for optimism and persistence, anyone? But, apparently, all this introspection about his step father and why he’s so desperate for Eliot’s approval is a little too close to the surface because–

Because he calls Eliot dad. And he wants to die.

But Margo has a mission for him. Not just anyone. It’s  _important_. And she specifically asks him to do something. Not because he’s got a secret insight, or because he’s the deans right hand man.

But because she trusts him. And Eliot’s not even glaring at him when she asks him, doesn’t even question her faith in him. He nods along, and he even almost  _smiles_  at Todd.

When they disappear through the clock, he crosses his arms and smiles to himself.

One day they’re going to invite him, too, he knows it.

Maybe Eliot’s not like his step dad, after all. 


End file.
